Topic & Foci

By Anonymous
Topic: The representation and misrepresentation of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in popular culture and media through examining Turtles All the Way Down and Monk (and possibly a minor focus on The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B & Friends). 

Focus 1: 
A theme that is present in both works is the idea of the “OCD Super-detective.” This image of a person with OCD displays OCD as a sort of superpower, wherein their hyper-focus on obsessions allows them to see and understand details of a case or situation that a neurotypical person would not have. The television show Monk accepts and amplifies this idea of the OCD super-detective, where Monk’s obsessive compulsive disorder is somewhat of a punchline to the people around him. In Turtles All the Way Down, John Green’s character challenges the idea of the super-detective and shows a realistic view of OCD wherein the disorder is shown truly affecting the life of the character and the lives of the people around her. 

Focus 2: 

A big issue with the representation of OCD in media is its trivialization. The disorder is very serious, a form of anxiety that can be extremely debilitating, yet it is often misrepresented and used as a punchline in media. This is evident in television such as Monk and Friends, wherein a character’s “OCD,” which is actually OCPD (Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder), makes them the butt of jokes. This misrepresentation can be linked to a lack of neurodiversity in writer’s rooms. Turtles All the Way Down, written by John Green, who has clinically diagnosed OCD, represents a much more accurate picture of OCD from the perspective of someone who actually lives with it.
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